To this class, then, belong all those church images and pictures of the Annunciation, either confined to the two personages, with just sufficient of attitude and expression to place them in relation to each other, or with such accompaniments as served to carry out the mystical idea, still keeping it as far as possible removed from the region of earthly possibilities.  In the fifteenth century—­that age of mysticism—­we find the Annunciation, not merely treated as an abstract religious emblem, but as a sort of divine allegory or poem, which in old French and Flemish art is clothed in the quaintest, the most curious forms.  I recollect going into a church at Breslau, and finding over one of the altars a most elaborate carving in wood of the Annunciation.  Mary is seated within a Gothic porch of open tracery work; a unicorn takes refuge in her bosom:  outside, a kneeling angel winds a hunting horn; three or four dogs are crouching near him.  I looked and wondered.  At first I could make nothing of this singular allegory; but afterwards found the explanation, in a learned French work on the “Stalles d’Amiens.”  I give the original passage, for it will assist the reader to the comprehension of many curious works of art; but I do not venture to translate it.

“On sait qu’an XVI siecle, le mystere de l’Incarnation etoit souvent represente par une allegorie ainsi concue:  Une licorne se refugiant au sein d’une vierge pure, quatre levriers la pressant d’une course rapide, un veneur aile sonnant de la trompette.  La science de la zoologie mystique du temps aide a en trouver l’explication; le fabuleux animal dont l’unique corne ne blessait que pour purger de tout venin l’endroit du corps qu’elle avoit touche, figuroit Jesus Christ, medecin et sauveur des ames; on donnait aux levriers agiles les noms de Misericordia, Veritas, Justitia, Pax, les quatre raisons qui ont presse le Verbe eternel de sortir de son repos mais comme c’etoit par la Vierge Marie qu’il avoit voulu descendre parmi les hommes et se mettre en leur puissance, on croyoit ne pouvoir mieux faire que de choisir dans la fable, le fait d’une pucelle pouvant seule servir de piege a la licorne, en l’attirant par le charme et le parfum de son sein virginal qu’elle lui presentoit; enfin l’ange Gabriel concourant au mystere etoit bien reconnoissable sous les traits du venenr aile lancant les levriers et embouchant la trompette.”

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It appears that this was an accepted religious allegory, as familiar in the sixteenth century as those of Spenser’s “Fairy Queen” or the “Pilgrim’s Progress” are to us.  I have since found it frequently reproduced in the old French and German prints:  there is a specimen in the British Museum; and there is a picture similarly treated in the Musee at Amiens.  I have never seen it in an Italian picture or print; unless a print after Guido, wherein a beautiful maiden is seated under a tree, and a unicorn has sought refuge in her lap, be intended to convey the same far-fetched allegory.